Wadbister pelican gets twitchers in a flap

HORDES of twitchers are expected to flock to Shetland after one of the most unusual bird sightings in the isles for many years.

On Saturday night Lerwick photographer Austin Taylor was at one of his favourite aurora watching locations when he saw a large white bird with a very big beak floating on the water.

So intrigued was he that he returned to Wadbister Voe the following morning to see if he had been imagining things, but there before his eyes was a Great White Pelican floating near the salmon cages.

“I’ve seen some pretty odd things over the years, but this has to take the biscuit,” he said.

“This bird should be in southern Europe or north Africa, not a few miles from the Arctic Circle.

“I know it’s been warm in Scotland and that might have drawn it north, but it must be missing home with the kind of temperatures we’re having at the moment.”

Shetland Biological Records Centre manager Paul Harvey was racing out of the door to head for Wadbister when Shetland News managed to contact him on Sunday morning.

“I’ve just heard about this and am going out to take a look for myself. I’ve seen the pictures and it certainly looks like a Great White, which means it’s definitely one for the record books,” he said excitedly.

“I’ve heard of pelicans being seen in England before, but for one to be spotted as far north as here is really quite extraordinary.

“They’ve never known if the ones seen in England were wild pelicans, or had escaped from private collections and the same is the case for this one. Either way, it’s not to be missed and I can’t wait to see it for myself.”